Wedding Budget
How Much Should Your Wedding Dress Budget Be?
18 Apr 2024 •10 min read
It's easy to fall in love when browsing wedding dresses online, but shopping with a real budget in your head can make your options feel surprisingly limited. But there's no rule that says a great wedding dress costs a small fortune.
If you have the money to spend, get what you love. But if you don't want to splurge, you definitely shouldn't.
With the average wedding dress cost being anywhere between $1,800-$2,500 in 2023, it should be a given that there are inherently a lot of details that go into how much you’re willing to spend on your gown. Typically, you want your dress to cost at most 10% of your overall budget unless it is of the utmost importance to you.
If you're worried you'll never find a dress you love on your budget, here are a few tips to remember.
Keep It Simple
This mantra is suitable for all your wedding plans—good for your budget and sanity! Intricate beading, luxurious fabrics (like silk), structured silhouettes (think mermaids and trumpets), and extra layers of lace all add to the final price tag. They'll definitely be more expensive to alter.
You can save hundreds of dollars in wedding dress shopping for similar styles made with cost-friendly fabrics or simpler silhouettes and details.
For instance, choose duchesse satin over pure silk or A-line silhouettes versus mermaid gowns. This swap to cheap wedding dresses uses less expensive fabric and requires fewer hours of labor.
The Difference Between This Year & Last Year's Is Negligible
Except you… because of all this money you're saving! Finding a discount on a newly released wedding designer gown is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Check out similar styles from past seasons, and you could find new, unaltered, timeless gowns at up to 70% off. Better yet, find sample sales because they're an absolute goldmine.
Designers and bridal salons must clear space for new inventory, most frequently in the summer and winter, so they reduce past-season styles. It's the absolute best time to shop in-store for those opposed to online shopping, with some stores offering 100+ wedding gowns on sale.
Bridal salons try to keep their sample gowns in perfect condition, but there are occasional tiny tears or scuffs, so remember to check if it's the final sale!
Factor In Alterations To Your Budget
While you're still attempting only to spend 10% of your overall wedding dress budget, you must also factor in any potential costs associated with alterations.
If you're purchasing a new wedding gown and you already foresee that a few things need to be altered, we suggest estimating how much these alterations will cost and adding them to the final price.
Pre-Owned Is A Fraction Of The Retail Price
If you found a wedding dress or suit you love but it's out of your price range, consider buying it pre-owned. Websites like Real Real, Oncewed, and PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com offer pre-owned wedding wear starting at 50% off and up to 90% off the retail price. Talk about affordable wedding dresses!
These sites update their inventory regularly and have thousands of gowns, suits, and accessories. While these pieces are pre-loved, you won't have any restrictions for alterations to get that perfect fit once you buy them.
Pro-Tip: If you fall in love with a dress or look from a designer's older collection and the designer is no longer producing it, you may have luck finding the dress on a pre-owned site.
Wedding fashion marketplaces such as Rowely, Tradesy, Nearly Newlywed, eBay, DealsPlus, and David's Bridal also have new, pre-loved, and sample dresses online. Don't let the name fool you—some are brand new and unaltered gowns since brides change their minds after the dress arrives!
It’s even possible to find beautiful, discounted wedding items for up to 80% off or more. Although eBay probably has the largest online selection, only shop top-rated sellers with at least 100 reviews solely for wedding dresses.
There are many knockoffs out there, so it helps to do specific brand searches and be sure to check dress details. Remember that you can always size down, but it takes work to size up. Plus, some gowns have been altered, which means the size mismatches the label, so double-check with the seller for the size of the dress.
Don't Buy A Wedding Dress At All
Say what? No wedding dress?!
Even if you're dreaming of white, you can purchase a prom, homecoming, bridesmaid, or party dress for under $300. Of course, it's easier if you shop online, so you can filter down by material, price, cut, and style and use online coupon codes for extra savings of up to 25% off!
Shop White Bridesmaid Dresses
Most bridesmaid dresses come in every color imaginable, including white, ivory, champagne, and blush. With so many amazing bridesmaid styles coming out each season, you could likely find a bridesmaid dress that fits perfectly with your vision for your wedding dress and is a fraction of the cost. (Don't believe me? Check out some of the white bridesmaid's dresses in the Loverly Shop!)
If the bridesmaid's dresses don't feel fancy enough to you, use other accessories (like a glam beaded cover-up or an embellished sash) to make it feel more special.
Shopping at Trunk Shows
One of the best things wedding dress designers do is host the occasional 'Trunk Show' at their boutiques. This means that on a specific date, the designer and their colleagues will come to the boutique with a select amount of their most recent line.
Their gowns will be tried on and purchased at a severely discounted price point. This is great when you're in love with a specific dress but don't want to shell out the full price to purchase it.
These limited events allow designers to showcase their current season selection before they officially launch in your area and can offer discounts of 10% off if you order on the spot! You can easily search online for wedding trunk shows in your city.
Trunk Show FAQS:
Does this mean the dress is damaged because it's a cheaper price?
No, most of the time, these are the dresses that are still in the latest season but ones that they had extra inventory on. A few people may have tried them on, but they will still be in very good condition. Trust us, no designer would sell you a dress they didn't approve for display.
Prepare to purchase your dress on the spot that day.
This is one requirement of a trunk show. Although this may seem daunting, keep in mind that you will most likely receive a hefty price discount for purchasing on that day.
Prepare for alterations and measurements.
When you purchase a dress at the trunk show, the designer or a different employee can take all your measurements and offer the alterations on-site. This is normally included in the overall pricing. You don't always need to take the measurements that day if you don't want to, but it's a nice perk!
Renting Your Wedding Wear
If you are not interested in buying a brand-new dress for your special day, there are plenty of websites where you can buy affordable wedding dresses. These are the dresses that most brides have only worn once (yes, you guessed it, on their wedding day) and no longer have any use for them. These dresses are always in the highest condition and look brand new.
The Pros of Renting Your Wedding Dress:
- Serious cost savings - Rentals start at $50-700, a fraction of the cost of buying a new made-to-order dress.
- You don't need to preserve, clean, or store.
- Easy shipping & management.
Pro-Tip: If you have your heart set on a specific dress from a specific designer, but it's from an older season, you may get lucky and find it on one of these sites at a discounted price!
Lending Luxury
This rental site offers flexible windows for 5, 10, or 15 days, which is convenient if you are traveling for your wedding day. Their wedding dress rentals range from $50 to $140, and they also offer free shipping on all orders.
Rent the Runway
1. Swap Plan for $89/month
2. Swap Plan for $135/month
3. Unlimited Swaps Plan for $159/month.
Their membership option is great if you are looking for multiple looks for your wedding day and other events like an engagement party, wedding shower, rehearsal dinner, or post-wedding brunch.
Poshare
A great resource for discount wedding wear, little white dresses, and more. They also offer rentals from $60-$800 with free shipping.
Borrow For Your Wedding Wear
As the saying goes, you always want to wear something borrowed and blue on your special day. Another way to save on costs is to borrow a wedding dress or suit from close friends or family. This is a great way to incorporate that borrowed element while also saving on purchasing another item.
Remember that you may want to find a way to change the overall look with accessories such as a sash, bolero, or cape so that your wedding wear feels personalized.
Order A Custom Made Gown
If you know exactly what you're looking for, you could have your dream dress made to your liking for significantly less. Mind you, you're also saving hundreds of dollars off expensive alterations!
Custom-made gowns can be inexpensive if you find a seamstress near or through Etsy. I found a local seamstress who took my exact measurements and allowed me to choose fabrics in person.
Ultimately, it's how a dress makes you look and feel that seals the deal. And remember, you can combine multiple tips for even bigger savings.
Hire a Seamstress to Customize a More Budget-Friendly Dress
If you find a dress within your price range but isn't exactly what you had in mind, having a seamstress add straps, lace, or beading can be quite affordable and help you get the look you want.
Check out our Wedding Planning Masterclass!UNLOCK WEDDING PLANNING MASTERCLASS
About The Author
Kellee Khalil is the Founder & CEO of Loverly. She lives in upstate NY with her fiancé and two dogs.
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